Sussex Police portion of 2026/27 council tax bill to increase

The decision was made during a meeting of the Police & Crime Panel on Friday (January 30).

Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “There is an expectation now from government that every Police & Crime Commissioner will raise by the maximum. It’s baked in now to the grant that government give us.”

She described that £442.1m grant as ‘inadequate for our needs’.

The £15 increase will bring in around £11.7m but the force will still be left with an £7.5m gap in its budget in 2026/27. This is nearly double what was expected.

The increase equates to a 5.6 per cent rise – an extra £1.25 per month for a Band D property, taking that portion of the bill to £281.91 for the year.

On top of that, residents face a proposed 4.99 per cent increase from West Sussex County Council – £89.82 on a Band D home – and further increases from the district and borough councils.

Mrs Bourne pointed out that Sussex had the seventh lowest precept in England and Wales in 2025/26.

Regarding the increase, she said 75 per cent of households across Sussex would pay no more than an extra 29p per week.

She added: “It is not a huge amount of money, but for those who are struggling, it will seem a lot – and I’m really concious of this.

“I speak with personal experience in my past, where money was not easy to come by. I know what it’s like if you have a young family and you’re struggling.

“It’s not something that I go out and crow about, as you will see in some areas where it’s seen as a badge of honour.”